


judgement

by mothmanaintshit



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: BEST DAD, College, Graduation, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Memes, Post-Canon, Romance, Trans Male Character, Tumblr Memes, amazing adoptive family, asshole biological family, i forgot how tagging works tbh, its been a while ao3 what up, minor ann takamaki/shiho suzui, minor makoto niijima/haru okumura, protective boyfriend ryuji, sojiro the real mvp, supportive sojiro sakura, trans ryuji sakamoto, using ren instead of akira cuz reasons, watch me project my own bs onto these characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-23
Packaged: 2019-05-27 14:30:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15026699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothmanaintshit/pseuds/mothmanaintshit
Summary: “We’ve lasted a long time.”Ryuji captured Ren’s hand in his own, holding it up towards the ceiling and watching how the moonlight shone against their skin. He slotted their fingers together, pressing his lips against Ren’s forehead before placing their clasped hands on his chest.“Let’s keep lastin’.”





	judgement

It seemed that Ryuji’d been right.

A delinquent was all he’d ever be in his home town, no matter if he was free of all charges. It was clear to him when he made his first trip around town to get a feel for the place again. The old couple who tended to the flower shop down the road shifted their gaze when they saw him. The café barista who Ren had used to call a friend was all forced smiles and fake promises. The teachers who were once proud to call him their student gave him a wide berth on the sidewalk. Classmates who he grew up with didn’t spare him a glance, ever so content to have forgotten him all those months ago.

He tried not to let it affect him – he knew who he was and what he stood for – but he knew the effects it had on his parents.

His parents were once family oriented, that seemed to change when he entered junior high school. His parents had partnered up with a corporation in North America, causing his father to be gone months at a time. Half a year was spent abroad while the other half was at home with their child. Soon the trips abroad became longer, the visits home shorter. They called when they could, never forgot a birthday, they made sure family members who didn’t live too far came over a couple days at a time to make sure he was eating right and that his studies were going well.

Even though they themselves were barely around in the flesh, they still remained at active part of his live.

Then the accused assault happened.

His parents had been away from home for almost a year at that point. When he saw them again, a thick window of hard plated glass stood between them. He plead his case, they turned their backs. Trust was broken on both sides.

They went back to America before he moved to Tokyo. He only heard from them once during his yearlong stay.

The simple ‘happy birthday’ text was still unanswered to this day.

He hadn’t physically seen his parents since returning home. There were a few Skype calls, but they didn’t last long. He was angry and bitter. He hid it well. Family members came by like before, loving smiles and hot meals. They told him how brave he was, how proud they were.

Empty words; only months before nothing was spoken to him at all and now they were on his side? Saying how proud they are that he never lost face and how brave he is for standing firm on his innocence?

He was amazed at how many faces his family members hid from him.

He’s just happy he didn’t have to spend much longer here.

* * *

His eighteenth birthday landed on Sunday this year, leaving him home alone with Morgana on a stormy day. He originally was going to go on a day trip to Tokyo for his birthday but weather conditions the night before cancelled his flight.

Instead, he woke at seven – early for him on a day off – to a handful of messages from his friends instead of going out to meet them. Ann had uploaded a picture to the group chat of the birthday package the crew had whipped together and are sending out tomorrow.

<< ann >>ryugi said he wanted to send urs seprate.  
<< ann >>sooooo no idea when youll be seeing that.

<< ryuji >>soon  
<< ryuji >>already shipped and otw  
<< ryuji >>and itll be there around 2 pm  
<< ryuji >>ill call u when i get confirmation ur present arrived

<< ann >>sounds suspicious.

<< ryuji >>youre suspicious

<< futaba >>ur both suspicious

<< ryuji >>am not!

<< ann >> D:<

<< futaba >> :|  
<< futaba >>stop flooding the gc and let us sleep deprived teens  S L E E P  
<< futaba >>its too early for conversations

<< ren >>thanks for the birthday wishes, guys.  
<< ren >>sorry i couldn’t make it today.  
<< ren >>i got nothing planned today so i’ll be waiting for your call, ryuji.

<< ryuji >> <3

<< ann >>gay

<< futaba >>very

<< ryuji >> shuddap and lemme love my boyfriend?

Ren got ready for the day before heading downstairs with Morgana hot on his trail to make breakfast.

“I smelt salmon yesterday, so you better not be holding out on me!” Morgana hissed, situating himself on counter. Ren shook his head with a small smile and took out the salmon he had been saving.

“You were going to get this once we got back from home—” he pulled out a plate before taking the salmon out of its wrappings “—but I guess it’s alright if I give you this now.”

Ren set the plate down for Morgana before moving back to the fridge to figure out his own breakfast. He made Oyakodon for himself, setting some aside for tomorrow’s breakfast, and ate silently with Morgana. He answered a few texts from the relatives that remembered to send him birthday wishes this year. Nothing from his parents but it was the middle of their work day in America. There was still time.

The storm outside continued to rage on.

Morgana wasn’t a fan of storms, so he hid under the covers of Ren’s bed as the teen worked on his homework.

He used the calculator Makoto gave him before he left Tokyo.

Close to one, he finally heard from his parents.

<< Yume >>Your father and I wish to speak with you. Are you busy?

<< Ren >>no.

The Skype ringtone sounded from his computer only a minute later.

The wifi was sketchy at best, the stream on both ends lagging. After moving back to his room from the living room the call went through as smoothly as Skype would allow during a thunderstorm.

His mother hadn’t changed much since he’d last seen her. A few new wrinkles and grey hairs but that’s to be expected when you work yourself as hard as she does. His father looked a little worse for wear. He had broken his wrist a few months ago, and although he was no longer wearing a cast, he didn’t have full motion of his wrist back. He looked more tired, shoulders sagging, the bags under his eyes more dominant. But he was a proud man, he wouldn’t show Ren the extant to how tired and drained he actually felt.

His father asked questions about his studies, if cram school was too much, if he had taken the entrance exam for UTokyo yet.

He answered him with short and appropriate responses.

“ _We wanted to talk about the house with you._ ” His mother spoke once the silence neared uncomfortable.

“The… house?”

“ _We decided we’re selling it once you graduate._ ” His mother pursed her lip, tapping a well-manicured nail against the wooden desk. “ _We figured you’d stay at the dormitories… or even with Sojiro Sakura._ ”

She sounded almost indifferent about his future, a stark comparison to how confused and hurt she sounded through plated glass. Ren pulled his legs up on his chair and wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin on his knee. Morgana peaked out from under the covers on the futon next to him, worry present on his feline features.

Before Masayoshi Shido, they spoke about him moving to America to attend college, about what he would study, what college he could attend. After Masayoshi Shido, they rarely spoke about the future at all.

They didn’t know that he was flirting with the idea of becoming a lawyer after his time in Tokyo or that besides taking the UTokyo entrance exam he would also be taking Chibadai’s and TMU’s next week. They didn’t know he made friends in Tokyo or that those friends helped him break the chains of a self-identifying God. They didn’t know how tired and alone he’d felt since returning back to his childhood house. They didn’t know he was dating his best friend or that he now owned a cat.

They didn’t know him anymore.

He looked at the grainy image of his mother and father, trying to remember something about them that he couldn’t know without asking.

Lightning lit up the room. Thunder shook the house.

He came up with nothing.

“I’ll talk to him,” he put his feet back on the ground, fingers gripping the edge of his seat, “but I need to go now. I still have some homework to finish.”

She nodded to him, his father offering him a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, before saying their goodbyes.

They didn’t mention his birthday.

The homework he used as an excuse to end the call was left untouched.

Ren crawled onto the futon with Morgana, curling up under the covers before the feline made himself comfortable against his back.

He woke up not long after to Ryuji’s call. The storm outside was down to a drizzle and his parents short Skype call was pushed to the back of his mind.

“ _Your present has arrived!_ ” Ryuji’s cheery static voice sounded through Ren’s phone speaker. “ _Come to the door and get it before it starts pouring again, man!_ ”

Ren took a deep breath and forced himself up, “I can’t believe you were able to send something in this weather.”

“ _I can’t believe you thought I’d let you be alone on your birthday._ ”

It took Ren a few seconds to understand the implications of his words, stilling in the middle of the stairs to stare wide-eyed at the phone screen.

His voice cracked. “What?”

“ _Just open the door, babe!_ ” Ryuji’s laugh made Ren’s heart flutter.

He ended the call and scrambled to the door, pulling the latch and taking in the sight of his damp, beautiful, amazing boyfriend. Ryuji just smiled and acted like showing up on the doorstep of his boyfriend who lives 5 hours away was a normal, everyday occurrence for them. 

“I wasn’t gonna let my boyfriend spend his eighteenth birthday alone, ya’know.”

* * *

His friends worry. Some the right amount, others a little more. Ryuji worried the most.

The group chat was active almost every day. Instead of Phantom Thieves issues it was just kids being teens, gals being pals, bros being hoes. Ann would talk about this new crepe recipe she tried at home, Shiho or a new photo shoot. Futaba would talk about how senior high school at Shujin Academy was going and how embarrassingly easy the work was. Makoto would talk about college and her sister. Haru about both college and the Okumura business. Yusuke spoke about his art, random things in the dorms that his classmates did which annoyed him, the art schools he was looking into. Ryuji spoke about how shitty his new part-time job was, how the flowers made his eyes itch, how weird Tokyo felt since everything went down. Ren wouldn’t talk about anything, unless Morgana had something to say, so he usually just went along with whatever was going on.

He misses them. Misses having something to do outside of school that wasn’t just more school. He misses having a place to belong, having someone to go to, having someone on his side. He misses the smell of Sojiro’s curry, the coffee he used to always smell like. He misses waking up to a hot cup of coffee, spicy breakfast and a barely concealed smile. He misses Futaba’s fingers clicking away on the stool next to him as he ate, the mindless chatter that filtered between them. He misses getting off the Aoyama-Itchome Station to see his friends waiting patiently for his arrival. He misses hiding away on the roof of the school when things got too much, helping Haru with her gardening or just sitting on a desk and watching in comfortable silence. He misses restaurant hopping with Ann and trying on funky outfits in the mall. He misses running through Yongen-Jaya with Ryuji to train. He misses texting in class, Makoto lecturing them about texting in class, Morgana’s tail flicking against his thigh as he snickers.

He misses having a family. He misses having a home.

<< ryuji >>youre quiet

Ren opened a new message, a private chat between himself and his boyfriend.

<< ren >>I’m always quiet.

<< ryuji >>dont gimmie that  
<< ryuji >>iku  
<< ryuji >>wassup man?  
<< ryuji >>youve only said a word the past 20 mins  
<< ryuji >>we usually get a word every 4 mins  
<< ryuji >>and a full sentence every 6

He frowned, the fingers that had been curling softly in Morgana’s growing fur stilled.

<< ren >>Just not feeling that great.

And for good measure:

<< ren >>Cram school’s cramming my style.

<< ryuji >>pffft  
<< ryuji >>nerd

It was only a few seconds later that another text came in, one that was sent to the group chat and had Ryuji sending smashed keyboard texts – in the private chat – to him for 5 minutes after.

<< ryuji >>but youre my nerd

* * *

It was during winter break that Ren decided to head back to Tokyo. December 26th through January 5th. A nice holiday vacation. 

Sojiro immediately offered the storage space, having been unable to find anything that needing storing. Futaba told him it was because Sojiro was hoping he’d move back.

“I got accepted to UTokyo.” He stated as he settled into the middle booth, Morgana jumping into Futaba’s warm and welcoming arms, “May I rent the store room again?”

Sojiro pretended like he wasn’t proud. Futaba was loud and proud enough for both of them.

* * *

Christmas came late for Ren.

The weather was biting, the air harsh and cold.

The retired thieves sat on the ground, space heater sitting far enough away not to burn anyone or anything on the ground. Colorful wrapping paper scattered around the group as they tore through their presents. The plant that Ren had taken care of, and Futaba took over since his departure, was decorated with colorful Christmas lights taped to its leaves and a rugged, thrift store Santa hat thrown haphazardly on the top. Cups of hot cocoa, iced coffee and few empty cookie wrappers were sitting on the table next to the sofa.

Morgana was eating his Christmas sushi on the ground between Ren and Futaba, a water bowl sitting next to the sushi carton at his side. The two were talking about Futaba’s current project, Futaba even pulling out her phone and leaning over Morgana to show Ren her new spyware app. Ryuji was pressed against Ren’s other side, cheek resting on dark unkept curled hair, as he played with Ren’s hand with his own. Ann sat on Futaba’s other side, texting Shiho while talking about the college entrance exam she finished last week. Yusuke was in his own world as he sat between Ann and Makoto, sketching in the new sketchbook Ren gifted him with the new ink pens Haru got him. Makoto was helping Haru finish the last of her break work, wanting to finish it so she could spend the rest of the break between her friends and work at Okumura Foods.

The atmosphere was warm, relaxing.

He was already thinking how he was going to miss this once he returned to that vacant, cold house five hours away.

Ryuji’s thick fingers slotted through his own.

* * *

<< ann >>i was thinking we could get a sheet cake and have yusuke draw joker’s mask on it?

<< haru >>Ann!

<< ann >>what?  
<< ann >>oh.

<< makoto >>Wrong chat.

<< futaba >> D:

<< ren >>no party.

<< ryuji >>we gotta babe

<< ren >>guys no.

<< ryuji >>guys yes

<< futaba >>LET US LOVE YOU!!

<< ryuji >>what she said

<< yusuke >>Culinary arts is different than painting, Ann.

<< ann >>so was tattoo art but you did fine with that.

<< futaba >>WRONG CHAT INARI

* * *

Graduation came and went.

He shipped off the things he would need to Tokyo a week before. Ryuji was nice enough to set things up in the attic for him before he arrived. The crew saved up enough money for a kitty palace which sat next to the bookshelf.

Morgana approved.

* * *

The cake was a beautiful disaster.

Yusuke did as well as he could, drawing his mask in black icing, much better than the art student thought he could do. Haru and Ann decorated around the graphic with black and white sprinkles. ‘Welcome Home, Ren!’ was written in the same black icing on the cake’s decorative plate. Ryuji was able to draw a little mis-shaped heart on the corner with the black icing while no one was looking. Leblanc was suffocating under all the decorations Futaba and Makoto put up – much to Sojiro’s obvious dismay.

Ren was so glad to be home.

* * *

“First night alone since your birthday.”

The couple was tangled atop Ren’s futon after everyone left back for their home. Clothes thrown about the dark, heated room. Ren turned his head, pressing his lips against Ryuji’s pulse with a hum while pulling him closer. The boy smile, nosing his boyfriend’s cheek before capturing his lips.

Futaba had offered earlier in the day to take Morgana home with her for the night, so Ren could spend some time alone with Ryuji.

“And first night alone here in over two years.”

A breeze hit Ren’s back through the open window. He shivered.

“We’ve lasted a long time.”

Ryuji captured Ren’s hand in his own, holding it up towards the ceiling and watching how the moonlight shone against their skin. He slotted their fingers together, pressing his lips against Ren’s forehead before placing their clasped hands on his chest.

“Let’s keep lastin’.”

* * *

Spring semester was ending, which had the crew on high alert for their exams.

Leblanc was barren. A record-breaking heat wave that would last throughout the week had started the day prior. Futaba was helping Sojiro with the café while the others holed up in the attic to study.

Ren’s fan was facing the girls as they studied. The air blowing the edges of their papers from where they weren’t secured. Ren and Ryuji laid on the cool floor working on their own studies while Yusuke sat against the wall with a laptop balanced on his thighs, doing research on modern and postmodern art.

Morgana was curled on the highest point of his kitty palace, resting over a covered bag of ice. The cat had his fair share of words about the current weather. He had been gulping up bowl after bowl of chilled water like no one’s business.

“I didn’t mind the weather when it was helping us in Mementos but now…” He trailed off as he shifted over the bag of ice, tail flicking agitatedly off the edge. 

“I gotta agree with Morgana.” Ryuji sighed, pushing his textbook off his legs before pulling his shirt up to wipe the sweat off his forehead. “’Is hell when it’s affectin’ us.”

“I imagine it must have been true hell for the shadows who lived there.” Haru’s soft voice sounded over the loud fan.

“That’s depressing.” Ann leaned back on the sofa and sighed. “Why’d it get so depressing?”

“We’re overworked college students.” Ren stifled a yawn, mirroring Ryuji’s actions to wipe sticky sweat off his neck and forehead. “Depressing is one of our two functions.”

“It gets worse.” Makoto commented from where her head rested on her opened textbook, face turned towards the fan. “Second year is… so much worse.”

“You’re supposed to hype us up for second year, Makoto!” Ann whined with a fake frown, throwing her upper body over her friend. “Don’t make us rethink college.”

The group continued to bicker about college and the smoldering weather for a time. Futaba had brought up half-frozen water bottles which the group use to both drink and cool themselves, also a replacement bag of ice for Morgana to wiggle on.

Ren’s phone, which was placed on one level of Morgana’s palace, sounded off his text tone. Ryuji, who was closest to his phone, passed it to him as he gulped down more water. Ren laid back against the ground, the plastic bottle wedged between the back of his neck and the ground, before unlocking his phone and reading the message.

<< Yume >>Your father and I have business in Tokyo next month. We’ll be staying for a minimum of 2 months, given nothing goes wrong with this project. We’d like to schedule a visit with you during this time.

<< Ren >>I’m on break from August 6 to September 20. I work 5 days a week. Let me know what day you want. If I’m working, I’ll ask a coworker if I can switch hours with them. 

<< Yume >>We should know once we get there what our schedule is. We’ll be in touch.

He had a hard time studying after that.

* * *

<< ryuji >>fam  
<< ryuji >>guys  
<< ryuji >>beautiful people  
<< ryuji >>lights of my life  
<< ryuji >>thieves of my heart  
<< ryuji >>guess  
<< ryuji >>guess what just

<< yusuke >>Are you alright?

<< futaba >> ???

<< ann >>RYUJI YOU MOTHER FUCKER

<< makoto >>Woah.

<< haru >>Ann!

<< futaba >>she said fuck >:D

<< ryuji >>HAH  
<< ryuji >>HAH HAH HAH!  
<< ryuji >>I BEAT ANNS EXAM SCORE 4 ENGLISH LANGUAGE

<< ann >>you weren’t even paying attention when we were going over English at the diner!  
<< ann >>AND REN GOT A GREATER SCORE THAN BOTH OF US!

<< ryuji >>ofc he did  
<< ryuji >>hes ren  
<< ryuji >>he doesnt do shitty scores

<< ren >>im proud of my boyfriend 

<< ryuji >>reward me  
<< ryuji >> :3c

<< ren >>did you do well with your other exams?

<< ryuji >>uhh…

<< ren >> … 

<< ryuji >>still reward me?

<< futaba >>did you fail any classes?

<< ryuji >>no!  
<< ryuji >>all my scores are about the same  
<< ryuji >>my english score was just a bit higher

<< futaba >>uh huh

<< yusuke >>Either way, I’m proud of you, Ryuji.  
<< yusuke >>You did better than I had hoped for your first semester.

<< ryuji >>heyyyyy…

<< ann >>even if you did somehow cheat…

<< ryuji >>i didn’t!

<< ann >>i'm proud of you too, ryuji.

<< makoto >>You’ve improved since Shujin. 

<< ren >>clear your weekend. we’re going away for a night.

<< ryuji >>WOO  
<< ryuji >>ILYB

<< ren >>i love you too.  
<< ren >>can someone take care of morgana while I’m gone?

<< makoto >>Morgana freaks Sae out.

<< haru >>My dorms don’t allow pets.

<< yusuke >>Neither do mine.

<< ann >>i love him.  
<< ann >>i support him.  
<< ann >>but i will not let that cat back into my home after last time.

<< futaba >>why do you guys even answer?  
<< futaba >>he always ends up with me anyways.  
<< futaba >> :|

<< ren >>morgana can feel the love in this chilis tonight.

<< ann >>He’s the reason this chilis doesn’t love him anymore.  
<< ann >>You can’t just pee on someone’s bed and expect everything to be okay.

<< ren >>fair enough. my bad.  
<< ren >>he also says hes sorry and that he won’t do it again. 

<< ann >>tell him next time you leave with ur bf, I’ll take him.  
<< ann >>but if he pees on my bed again.  
<< ann >>i won’t buy him salmon anymore.

<< ryuji >>im sure if he was human  
<< ryuji >>hed be crying right about now

<< ren >>accurate.


End file.
